Something told me she would never permit a failure to leave this place.
Even Posy, imagined and unreal. had to be made to disappear.
13
Marooned
.
To our surprise. not only didn't we hear a
second shoe drop, but in the morning we were greeted with unexpected gifts. M'Lady One entered with her arms full of clothing. She distributed prettier white blouses and khaki walking shorts as well as new socks and pairs of light brown sneakers. Teal was depressed because we were also provided with new hairbrushes and she had no hair to brush.
"Is this some sort of a reward for work or something?" I asked M'Lady One.
"No, stupid," she said. "It's a punishment."
"I almost feel like a human being again." Robin cried after she put on a blouse and brushed her hair. "These shorts aren't too bad either."
Teal checked for a label and saw where they were made in China. "Probably fall apart in a day or two,," she muttered, still pining over her shortened hair. "The sneakers aren't bad though."
I was cautiously happy. Only Gia looked upset about it She stared at everything as if one of those centipedes Natani had shown us might be lodged in something. All of us were changed and dressed and she hadn't changed into anything yet.
"What's wrong, Gia?" I asked.
"I don't know. This is not like her. I don't know."
"She probably had the clothes lying around or maybe it's like those prisoner of war camps where someone comes to inspect and she's just getting us ready for it." Rabin suggested. "What do you think. Phoebe?"
I stared at Gia. "I don't know what to think. Maybe it's like the magazines, huh. Gia?"
"Maybe," she said finally, putting on a blouse, "Maybe it's something more."
"Maybe it's something more, maybe it's not like her, maybe it's maybe. You can drive someone nuts," Teal shouted at her. "Why don't you just take it and be grateful and get yourself out of here already? Or don't you want to go home?"
Gia looked at her as if it were a good question. "Maybe I don't." She turned her back and put an the shorts.
Mindy watched her and then gazed at me with concern.
"Well. I know I do. I'd crawl out on my hands and knees if I had to. Almost did," Teal reminded us.
"It's not over yet." Gia said, looking up as she buttoned her shorts. "You may be on your hands and knees yet."
Teal smirked, shook her head, and sat to put on her new sneakers. "I have about fifty pairs at home, every color you can imagine, every new style." She sat quietly, remembering.
"Let's go. ladies." M'Lady Three said from the door. "This morning you're going directly to breakfast. No morning work detail."
Again, we looked at each other. I began to really wonder if Robin wasn't right. We were going to be inspected by same agency and Dr. Foreman was putting on a shiny new look.
"Was this place ever inspected since you've been here. Gia?" I asked.
"No. Or at least not that I know of."
"Then. I'm right," Robin decided. "It's obviously time for an inspection."
"Well, I can tell you this," Teal said. "if someone pulls me aside to ask me how things are going, he or she is going to get an ear so full, his head will tilt to one side."
"Just remember," Mindy cautioned. "if you're not shipped out soon after you spill your guts, one of the buddies might spill them for you."